Live music uniquely connects us to both people and place. It’s a communal experience that not only creates a connection between artist and audience, but those in the audience to one another. Shared music has been central to civilizations for both ceremonies and celebrations. Among the earliest expressions of humans, shared sounds formed communal bonds and reinforced beliefs. In a cultural moment where AirPods and headphones isolate and insulate us with sound, the practice of listening to live music invites connection, creation, and celebration.

Andrea Peters has served on the Littleton City Council for the last two years. She shares her conviction about the essential nature of citizens’ participation in city council meetings. “On our flowchart, citizens are at the very top. If we don't hear from them, the whole system breaks down," she explains. With a mix of optimism and realism, she adds, "I think [local city council meetings] might be the most hopeful part of government right now."

Few practices connect us to our neighborhoods more than volunteering at our local school. Local schools are where diverse families from the neighborhood daily converge in car lines and classrooms. Volunteering at your local school provides a front row seat to your neighborhood’s needs and dreams.

Tina Lin volunteered and worked at Denver’s Isabella Bird Community School for 9 years. “Education is uniquely challenging work,” Tina says. “Volunteers don’t fix everything, but they ease the load.”

My refrigerator has a feature for families like ours. It beeps when the door is left open over a set amount of time. This is particularly helpful in households with multiple people, especially during lunchtime when leftovers are being brought out and put back in batches. We don’t realize the fridge door is open, so it beeps to alert us. The problem is I often don’t hear the high-pitched chirp. I’m not sure if it’s the tone or the noise of the kitchen, regardless of the cause, I tune it out and keep making sandwiches.

My mother, Marilyn Mackey, called her mother every Saturday morning for 30 years. “We would call to stay connected and know what was going on in each other's lives.” My mother reminds me, “That was when we paid for long-distance calls too.” But the practice of staying connected begins a generation before her. “My mother’s relationship with her mother, Grandma Miller, was that we saw them every weekend. We would go to their house on the farm and have a meal and play games.”

Role-playing, commonly associated with acting and theater, can be a powerful tool for cultivating connection and understanding with our neighbors. Through the practice of creatively entering an imaginary situation, we can begin to build the necessary skills to respond to challenging interactions. 

A labyrinth is an ancient and embodied prayer practice. It is a way for your body to help restore your focus and attention on God. Labyrinths have been created by Christians across the centuries and countless civilizations. The lessons from the practice of walking a labyrinth are essential to our time that is marked by distraction and hurry.

Providing meals is a nourishing way to love your neighbors. It may be for a family welcoming home a new child or welcoming a new neighbor to the neighborhood.

Standing in the awkward is the practice that tells our neighbors they are worth our discomfort. On the other side, we may get more comfortable, or at least get more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Creating space prioritizes hearing and responding to what God is doing in and around us. It is an intentional way to open ourselves to receive the extravagant love of God, and then extend that love to our neighbors and neighborhoods.

Our schools are often the conduit for the confluence of our neighbors and their needs. The Holiday Store is a beautiful way to begin to build relationships by engaging with your local school.

What could the outcome be if people who follow the Way of Jesus made a regular practice of public encouragement of local leaders? A practical way to deepen the rootedness of your faith in your place is to practice knowing your City Council.

The practice of freudenfreude is a parallel practice to empathy. Empathy is feeling compassion about others pain. Freudenfreude is connecting and celebrating others joy.

Summer is a season of consistent unplanned interactions with neighbors. It is an ideal season to practice creating a neighborhood map to learn the names, history, and hopes of your neighbors.

Neighborhood associations are organizers of celebrations. They serve as the neutral neighborhood host for block parties, park picnics, and community events.

Curiosity about your place creates a common ground of conversations. Be curious with neighbors and local leaders. The more you practice curiosity, the more you encourage it in those around you.